Sen. Wyden Calls Out James Clapper For Lying On Spy Details

DEMANDING ANSWERS

Sen. Wyden Calls Out James Clapper For Lying On Spy Details

By Elizabeth C.

AS ELITES IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA YAWN over Edward Snowden’s revelation that U.S. spy agencies are slurping up data on American citizens, and apologists in both parties ratchet up rhetoric against whistleblower Edward Snowden, a few notable public figures have emerged.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oreg.) has been sounding the alarm about government surveillance. As far back as 2006, he voted against reauthorizing the Patriot Act which has dramatically expanded government’s surveillance programs and spending. Even before Snowden’s revelations of last week, Wyden warned the public that “the American people would be extraordinarily surprised if they could see the difference between what they believe a law says and how it has actually been interpreted in secret.”

Now he’s calling out James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, for lying to him during questioning before the Senate Intelligence Committee last March when Wyden asked him, “Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?”

Clapper’s response: “No sir.”

“It does not?,” Wyden followed up.
Clapper’s response: “Not wittingly. There are cases where they could inadvertently, perhaps, collect, but not wittingly.”

Today, Wyden tweeted out this message:

In March, DNI Clapper specifically told me #NSA does not wittingly collect any type of data on millions of Americans youtu.be/QwiUVUJmGjs?t=…

Earlier today, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters at a press conference that the President “certainly believes that Director Clapper has been straight and direct in the answers he’s given.”

Sen. Wyden released a statement saying “Now public hearings are needed to address the recent disclosures and the American people have the right to expect straight answers from the intelligence leadership to the questions asked by their representatives.”